"Although neglected in scholarly literature, the Latter Rain foreshadowed themes that emerged [in] the 1970s to the early 2000s.... Latter Rain participants - ousted by the Pentecostal denominations - became a diaspora of the Spirit" - The Cambridge Companion to Pentecostalism, 2014

don't miss a thing ...

scroll all the way to the bottom and see LARGE, hard-to-find photos of the Pembertons, Earl Lee, Mom Beall, and others!

Wednesday, 24 December 2008

Joseph Mattsson-Boze, a thoroughgoing revivalist

The church Mattsson-Boze pastored in Chicago, Illinois (photo courtesy of Winston Mattsson-Boze)

by Archibald Thackeray

In a ministry that lasted more than five decades, Joseph Mattsson-Boze involved himself in true revivals wherever he found them.

Whether as a pastor, a missionary, or the editor of a magazine, Mattsson-Boze followed and publicized the moving of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph Mattsson-Boze

This brought him into contact - and ultimately, friendship - with many of the household names of revival such as David du Plessis, Lewi Pethrus, William Branham and many more.

And in October 1948, he got involved with the subject of this website, The Latter Rain Movement of 1948.

That revival got its start in North Battleford, Saskatchewan in February of 1948, and the ministers who led the work there (George Hawtin and others) were invited to speak at a convention October 24-31 in Edmonton by Pastor A. W. Rasmussen.

William Faupel, one of the historians who has written about the Latter Rain Movement, says, "One of the persons present, J. Mattson Boze [sic], an Independent Assemblies of God pastor and editor of The Herald of Faith, returned to his church in Chicago, Illinois, transformed. His church would become a strategic center for the Movement and his magazine a leading voice for the revival activity" (in Faupel's Ph. D. dissertation, The Everlasting Gospel: The Significance of Eschatology in the Development of Pentecostal Thought, University of Birmingham, UK, 1989).

The transformative power of the Edmonton meetings was testified to by Ern Baxter, no stranger to the power of the Holy Spirit, having traveled for several years with the healing evangelist, William Branham. In recounting some of the highlights of his ministry, Baxter said,

Another momentous thing happened - at least for me and many others - and that's something called the Latter Rain.... I went to their second convention in Edmonton, Canada and I never saw such a concentration of the power of God. This was a tremendous movement (in recording number EB001, "An Autobio and Intro," on the website, brokenbreadteaching.org).

Watt also reported that the Edmonton meetings were the first time that the phenomenon of the 'heavenly choir' was experienced in the Latter Rain revival. Primarily, the term refers to the harmonious sound created by the gathered worshippers' individually spontaneous songs of worship. Yet, as folks like Watt assert, there is also a supernatural aspect to the phenomenon. He says of the worship experience in Edmonton, "Heaven's very strains filled the whole church. It was as a mighty organ, with great swelling chords, and solo parts weaving in and out, yet with perfect harmony" (in Riss, Singing in the Spirit).

We would like to think that such outpourings and experience of the Holy Spirit would bring tranquility to the Body of Christ, but that is often not the case. Usually, many are being blessed and refreshed, while some are rankled at things that seem new and unfamiliar to them. Such was certainly the case in the Latter Rain revival.

Joseph Mattsson-Boze navigated safely through the choppy waters of blessed Latter Rain co-revivalists on one hand, and suspicious Pentecostal leaders on the other - all the while having to be careful of the occasional Latter Rain adherent who came up with heretical doctrines or fell into immorality.

Winston and his wife Ingrid

In a blog post in 2005, one of Joseph's sons, Winston, wrote, "I'm think[ing] a bit about the accusation that latter rain people are 'neo-montanists.' The Montanists were people in the early centuries of the church who relied on the Holy Spirit more than on the Scriptures. Certainly there are people like that around today, but our tradition has always been to let the Scriptures judge any prophecy or ministry.

"The lists of things they accuse latter rain-ers of seems silly. I grew up in the revival and didn't see those things. I'm sure they existed, but my father stood against them. He had the wisdom to not throw out the baby with the bathwater" (in, "Latter Rain," May 13, 2005).

Just over one year into the revival, some Pentecostals began to break fellowship with others due to concerns real and imagined. On April 20, 1949, the Assemblies of God sent out a six-page "special edition of the Quarterly Letter" for its ministers, warning them of what the AG called, the New Order of the Latter Rain:

For a long time little attention was paid to the reports reaching the headquarters office in Springfield, until finally it was learned that Mrs. [Myrtle] Beall, pastor of Bethesda Tabernacle [sic] in Detroit, Mich., had gone to Vancouver, B. C. and had been prayed with and hands were laid upon her. It is reported that she claims to have received the ministry of laying on of hands and is now exercising this ministry in company with others who are designated as prophets. We hesitate to refer to names and places, but this new order is being propagated from Detroit over four radio stations and on a daily schedule and therefore is being well publicized (in a letter dated April 20, 1949 from the executive office of the General Council of the Assemblies of God).

By the end of 1949, ministers like Myrtle Beall, Vera Bachle, and Paul and Lura Grubb would be dropped from the AG General Council ministerial list. Stanley Frodsham, the editor of the AG's Pentecostal Evangel, was allowed to resign (but the resignation became necessary because of his Latter Rain involvement). In 1950, Mattsson-Boze wrote a letter to J. R. Flower, general secretary of the AG, defending the ministerial integrity of Winston Nunes, but to no avail, as Nunes would also be censured.

Then in 1956, although Mattsson-Boze was not a member of the Assemblies of God, an AG ministerial letter included a prohibition concerning ministering in his church. The December 5 letter read, "the Philadelphia Church is a non-co-operative [sic] church and ... its teachings and practices are completely out of harmony with the churches of the Assemblies of God."

David du Plessis

But, throughout this period of combined blessing and upset, Mattsson-Boze remained a respected leader even at the highest levels of Pentecostalism. For instance, his friendship with fellow Swede Lewi Pethrus never waned (Pethrus endorsed the Latter Rain revival in 1949, then expressed reservations in 1950).

Also, Joseph was chosen to serve alongside David du Plessis and the others on the executive committee of the 1949 Pentecostal World Conference in Paris.

As friends, Joseph and David shared many things, including a birthday - February 7, 1905; and when Fuller Seminary created the David du Plessis archive, du Plessis "requested that Mattson-Boze's letters be housed with his," according the David Allan Hubbard Library website.

The website tells how Mattsson-Boze also served on the executive committee for the first Pentecostal World Conference (Zurich, 1947) and, "One highlight of the conference for Mattsson-Boze was the agreement he authored with David du Plessis that allowed 'independents,' including Lewi Pethrus and the Swedish churches, to cooperate with the Pentecostal movement."

FRIENDSHIP WITH WILLIAM BRANHAM

Another friendship led down another avenue of revival - his friendship with William Branham from the Healing Revival that swept America in the 1940s and 1950s. Like Joseph's Latter Rain friends, Branham was a controversial figure.

Branham and Joseph

Though it is frequently asserted that Branham was the founder or leader of the Latter Rain Movement, that is not true. But, it is true that Branham's powerful ministry influenced the North Battleford leaders and that he had at least one true Latter Rain friend - Mattsson-Boze.

Proof that Branham's relationship with the Latter Rain revival was tangential is found in a sermon he preached at Joseph's Chicago church called, Philadelphia Church.

In the December 13, 1953 sermon, Branham relates how he had been threatened with the cancellation of a speaking engagement by Voice of Healing ministers if he preached at Mattsson-Boze's church (not something you would do if someone was the leader of a movement; e.g., who would threaten the general superintendent of the Assemblies of God against preaching in an AG church?!) Branham responded:

"And here's what I want everyone to know from my heart: if you ministers are sitting here ... if you're Assemblies of God, if you're Oneness, if you're Baptist, Methodist ... or if you're first rain, second rain, fourth rain, Latter Rains, how many rains ... I don't care who you are. I don't care what church you represent. I'll go anywhere God leads me to go" (in the sermon, "Exploits of Faith" on williambranham.com).

The website for the Hubbard library adds, "The Mattsson-Boze papers stand as a rich resource, too, for studies of William Branham, another close friend of Mattsson-Boze's, about whom Mattsson-Boze published monthly articles from 1955 until Branham's death in 1965."

Winston Mattsson-Boze says, "Certainly he considered [my father] and Henry Carlson his most loyal friends!"
Such loyalty to Branham and consistent friendship with him could not have been altogether easy because Branham increasingly became controversial due to aberrant doctrinal beliefs, so much so, that Baxter had to disengage from Branham's ministry.

Joseph, of course, was not oblivious to the controversial side of Branham's ministry. When Branham died at 56 years old in a car crash in 1965, Joseph's tribute in Herald of Faith delicately noted, "there were several points of doctrine where we were a good deal apart, and seemingly could never agree...." (from "William Branham: In Memoriam", in Herald of Faith, February 1966; the complete text can be found below).LIFE AND MINISTRYMattsson-Boze immigrated to the United States from Sweden in 1933 and pastored two churches: Rock Church in New York (four years), as well as, Philadephia Church in Chicago (18 years).At Philadelphia Church, Clair Hutchins was head of the music department from 1944 - 1947. Hutchins would go on to pastor Beulah Temple in Chicago, as well as, churches in the east. He founded Brooklyn Tabernacle, now pastored by his son-in-law, Jim Cymbala. Carol Cymbala, Hutchins' daughter, leads the famous Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.Winston Mattsson-Boze says, "The Herald of Faith, originally published in Swedish, was originally a marriage of 2 early Pentecostal papers, Trons Harold and Sanningens Vittne (witness to truth). They were begun around 1917. My dad started as editor around 1940."

Herald of Faith merged with Gerald Derstine's Harvest Time magazine in 1970 ("But we kept the Herald of Faith name for our mission," Winston says).

Dan and Viola Malachuk

R. G. Robins adds, "In 1971, Dan Malachuk, a Pentecostal reared in New York's historic Glad Tidings Tabernacle, acquired Herald of Faith, Harvest Time magazine (itself a merger of the Pentecostal Joseph Mattsson-Boze's Herald of Faith and the charismatic Gerald Derstine's Harvest Time, both heavily influenced by the New Order of the Latter Rain). Malachuk renamed it Logos Journal, and turned it into the leading periodical for the charismatic movement" (in Pentecostalism in America).

In 1981, Logos Journal declared bankruptcy, eventually merging into Charisma magazine, according to cmnexus.org.

Like Philadelphia Church, the mission Winston mentions - Herald of Faith - continues to this day (Winston is currently chairman of the board). According to Herald of Faith's website, "Our founder, Joseph Mattsson-Boze, decided in 1959 to base this ministry on training village pastors, and we continue to see that as our bedrock mandate and all consuming passion. We exist today to develop pastoral leaders and strengthen local churches – worldwide!"
The Herald of Faith missions initiative was started after Mattsson-Boze resigned his Philadelphia Church pastorate in 1958. He launched "the east African work, where he and [T. L.] Osborn saw millions come to Christ. That was post-Latter Rain, but in fact started with a prayer God gave [my father] in 1949," Winston says.

He further explains:

In 1949, Dad had a prayer in his heart to preach to people who had never heard the name of Jesus. It stayed with him. In 1953, he heard the word Mombasa as he was studying late at night. He made inquiry and found Elim engaged in Kenya. In 1955, he held the first ever crusade in Mombasa. After a meeting, 3 African women came and asked if this man Jesus was an American. They had never heard the name before. That led to asking Osborn to go in 1957.

Marion Meloon's writings add:

The 1957 T. L. Osborn Crusade precipitated a flurry of training seminars for nationals, for the purpose of spreading the spiritual explosion effected by the Crusade. These were first held in Mombasa, then in other key cities; Nairobi, with missionary Paul Johansson as host, and Kampala, Uganda, with Arthur Dodzweit. American assistance in finances and teaching ministry came through Joseph Mattsson-Boze, Charles Weston, and others. Extension seminars fanned out through bush country where these hurriedly taught flaming national evangelists had multiplied themselves many times over. According, the number of bush churches zoomed from handfuls, to hundreds, to over 2000! (in Ivan Spencer: Willow in the Wind).

"In 1958, Dad resigned Chicago and held the first training," says Winston. "Near the venue was a monument to Ludwig Krapf, stating his prayer 100 years previously that Africa would be evangelized from the east coast. He and his family are buried nearby."

Joseph Mattsson-Boze died in January 1989 at age 83. His wife was the late Daga Mattson-Boze, and besides Winston, they had a son Howard, and daughters Britt Lillian, Grace, and Joy.

Following is the complete text of, "William Branham: In Memoriam", from the February 1966 edition of Herald of Faith:

It is almost impossible to believe that William Branham is not with us any longer.

As the whole world knows, William Branham and your Editor were very close friends. We were "real buddies". In spite of that there were several points of doctrine where we were a good deal apart, and seemingly could never agree, the warm spirit of fellowship never ceased. For this I am very happy.

Rev. Branham had a great gift from God, but what always impressed me most in his life was his big warm heart. He had time for the smallest ones as well as the biggest ones. He gave out of his life from the river of God that flowed through him to the poorest of the poor as well as to the richest. But if he favored anyone, it was the poor.

This big warm heart is now cold in death but we, his many friends, will always remember his kind spirit and his willingness to help. We will remember him as Jesus remembered John. Jesus did not point out the weaknesses of John the Baptist in his trying hours, but said about him, "This is the greatest born of a woman." John was not without his faults, but Jesus did not talk about that. He talked about John as John was at the height of his career when he stood there at Jordan and the people flocked to him in repentance.

I can picture the tremendous gatherings and the tremendous results in the great meetings in which I often sat on the platform with Rev. Branham. Sometimes I was scared because of the deep sense of holiness that penetrated the meetings, but I never failed to see the gift of God in operation through His servant and to feel that warmth of love that flowed through his ministry. This is how I remember my friend, Rev. William Branham.

- by Joseph D. Mattsson-Boze

(1953) From left to right: Daga and Joseph Mattsson-Boze, Daisy and T. L. Osborn, Gordon Lindsay, William Branham, and Ern Baxter.

Moses Vegh addressing the Washington for Jesus rally on the National Mall in 1980 by Archibald Thackeray Moses Vegh, who is the head o...

James Beall tells Bethesda's history

Pastor James Lee Beall recalls the history of the church his mother founded - Bethesda Missionary Temple - in this talk given at a FGBMFI convention in Washington, DC in the 70s. ***Click on image*** for info on purchasing.

"Singing in the Spirit"

*** Click on the image *** to link to an article by Dr. Richard Riss that explains singing in the Spirit and the phenomenon in the Latter Rain revival known as, "the heavenly choir."

Pat Gruits' 96th birthday!

Patricia Beall Gruits, who was profiled on this blog in May 2013, turns 96 today, February 22, 2019. She is one of the few ministers remaining from the earliest days of the Latter Rain revival (others include: Charles Green, Hugh Layzell, Kayy Gordon, Ernest Gentile, and Donald Murphy). Her most recent book, Understanding the Winds of God, is pictured above. If you are interested in purchasing it *** click on the book's image. ***

Kevin Conner (1927 - 2019)

The Australian author and Bible teacher Kevin Conner went to be with the Lord February 18, 2019. *** Click on image *** to access audio recordings of his Bible teaching.

Kevin Conner's autobiography

Conner experienced the LRM in Sydney, Australia in 1951. He pastored the Waverly Christian Fellowship in Melbourne. An author of several books, he also taught for many years at Portland Bible College in Oregon.

Barbara Green (1933 - 2018)

Barbara Green went to be with the Lord on September 10, 2018. She and her husband Charles started Word of Faith Temple in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1953. Under the Green's 57-year leadership, that church went on to be the largest in the city. *** Click on image *** to see the slideshow that was shown at her memorial service

Word of Faith Temple, New Orleans, Louisiana

5600 Read Boulevard location

Garlon & Modest Pemberton, Houston, TX

The brothers were both gifted speakers, and they pastored in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. They also were hosts of the Dixie Camp Meetings that drew people from across the globe.

Carl Neal, Baton Rouge, LA

Known for powerful preaching and prophecies, he pastored Evangel Temple.

Memorial service for M. D. Beall

***Click on image*** to hear the audio recording of the memorial service held for M. D. Beall on September 21, 1979. Speakers included Latter Rain pioneers Garlon Pemberton and Charles Green, as well as, Mom Beall's children: Patricia Beall Gruits, James Lee Beall, and Harry Beall.

A Hand on My Shoulder

***Click on image*** to link to the autobiography of M. D. Beall, A Hand on My Shoulder

The Layzells of Vancouver

Hugh Layzell (Reg Layzell's son) writes about his family's important role in the revival in Canada in the mid-twentieth century, plus its overseas missions activity.

Stanley Frodsham, Springfield, MO

When the Latter Rain revival broke out Frodsham was the editor of the Assembly of God's Pentecostal Evangel. Myrtle Beall invited him to see the revival's impact in her Detroit church. Frodsham was so convinced of the revival's validity that eventually it became untenable for him to remain in the AG, which did not approve the revival. *** Click on image *** to hear the audio of a sermon - "As Rain Upon the Mown Grass" - delivered by Frodsham at an Elim Bible Institute camp meeting in July 1967.

Thomas Wyatt, Portland, OR

A pastor known for his Wings of Healing radio broadcast. He was one of the elder statesmen of the Latter Rain Movement and was instrumental in the revival's missions impetus.

Max Wyatt, Salem, OR

Max, the son of Thomas Wyatt, pastored Faith Tabernacle in Salem and also served as a missionary to Africa.

Winston Nunes, Tacoma, WA

Encountered Latter Rain activity in Vancouver in 1948. Went on to pastor in Toronto, Canada. Recognized as an outstanding Bible teacher.

Ivan Q. Spencer's biography

Willow in the Wind: A Spiritual Pilgrimmage by Marion Meloon chronicles the life of the founder of Elim Bible Institute. Spencer was one of the LRM's elder statesmen.

Elim Bible Institute, Lima, NY

Elim was founded by Ivan Q. Spencer in 1924. It has been known over the decades for its integrity, missions emphasis, spirituality, and a desire for true unity in body of Christ.

Alton Earl Lee, Los Angeles, CA

Pastored Immanuel Gospel Temple and was known for ministering the gift of healing. Both he and his wife Rhoda were powerfully effective preachers.

Violet Kiteley, Oakland, CA

She was present in the early days of the revival outbreak in North Battleford. She pastored an influential church in Oakland. Among other things, Violet is remembered for her pioneering leadership in worship symposiums.

E. Charlotte Baker, Seattle, WA

Charlotte and Violet Kiteley did street ministry together at Glad Tidings in Vancouver, pastored by Reg Layzell. She went on to pastor King's Temple in Seattle. She also helped to establish a Bible school in Ghana. Well-known for her prophetic parables. Photo provided by Gary and Louise Short.

Edie Iverson, Portland, Oregon

Attended the bible school in North Battleford during the second year of the revival. Pastored Bible Temple in Portland with her husband, Dick. She was the author of two well-known choruses - Thanks be to God and The Lord Reigneth.

Rozella & Leonard Fox, San Bernardino, CA

Leonard pastored in California and was involved in African missions. He is remembered as a great preacher.

Longest-living LR minister

Currently 102 years old and living in Atlanta, Donald Murphy formerly pastored in Miami. *** Click on image *** to hear a recording of Donald prophesying and then reminiscing about how he came to be involved in the LRM. Photo is the property of Larry Davis, Marietta, Georgia.

A. W. Rasmussen, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Founder of the Independent Assemblies of God International. Host of a Latter Rain convention in Edmonton in October 1948. Ern Baxter said of that convention, "I never saw such a concentration of the power of God."

Joseph Mattsson-Boze, Chicago, IL

A native of Sweden, he pastored the Philadelphia Church in Chicago. Edited the Herald of Faith magazine that merged with Gerald Derstine's Harvest Time magazine.

Revival Artifacts ...

***Click on image*** to go to another of my websites, Revival Artifacts, which features Latter Rain Movement ministers, plus Charismatics like Jamie Buckingham, Bob Mumford, and Mark Rutland, and Pentecostals like Jack Hayford

Moses Vegh's autobiography

Vegh pastored for many years in Findlay, Ohio. When he met his wife Betty she was a member of the Bethesda Missionary Temple. Moses relates how he traveled the world preaching, even praying personally for Boris Yeltsin.

Ernest Gentile, San Jose, CA

Ernest first experienced the LRM as a 20-year-old at Crescent Beach, BC in 1950. Ernest is the author of several edifying and enlightening books. He and his wife Anna pastor in New Mexico.

Includes LRM history

The author, Ernest Gentile, first experienced the revival in British Columbia in 1950. Gentile is both a prophet and a teacher. He tells about M. D. Beall saying he is a "seer". This book is a splendid resource for the study of prophecy.

Latter Rain affects China!

Includes a chapter entitled, "The Latter Rain Movement and China's Revival". Balcombe was prophesied over by Reg Layzell, Violet Kiteley, and David Schoch. Schoch said in 1963 that Balcombe would minister in Red China - he did, beginning in 1978!

Dennis & Kathy Balcombe, China

Violet Kiteley, Reg Layzell, and David Schoch all prophesied over Dennis Balcombe. In 1963, Schoch said Balcombe would ministry in Red China - and beginnning in 1978 he did!

missions in West Africa

Paul Cannon shares how revival came to West Africa. This is a thrilling story of God's love and his power to deliver.

Paul & Mildred Cannon, Decatur, IL

Missionaries to West Africa & pastors in the United States. In 1953, Paul graduated from Thomas Wyatt's Bethesda Bible Institute.

Sixto Lopez, Latin America

Sixto utilized radio broadcasting in his missions to Cuba and Colombia. He and Carlton Spencer and other Elim ministers traveled to Detroit in February 1949 to witness the revival services. Part of his report of the services was the "brokenness, yieldedness ... and a flow of love and fellowship" that they experienced.

Vera Ludlum Bachle, Detroit, MI

Vera told Myrtle Beall about a revival that was taking place in Canada in 1948, and they both went to Vancouver in November to see for themselves what was happening. She was an evangelist who preached in all 50 states and in every Canadian province.

Mom & Pop Beall, Detroit, MI

Mom Beall was the founder of the Bethesda Missionary Temple, and she and her family provided leadership for many ministries that sought the Lord in revival. The anointing that was on her preaching and praying is unforgettable.

M. D. Beall - FULL obituary

*** Click on image *** to read the Detroit Free Press' full obituary for Mom Beall that ran in the FP September 21, 1979 edition.

M. D. Beall obituary (small portion)

Detroit News (September 21, 1979)

Patricia Beall Gruits, Detroit, MI

Gruits, the daughter of Latter Rain pioneer M. D. 'Mom' Beall, founded RHEMA International, an educational and medical mission in Haiti, with her late husband, J. Peter Gruits. She is the author of the best-selling catechism, Understanding God.

Classic LRM catechism

Over ONE MILLION copies of Patricia Beall Gruits' catechism have been distributed.

James Lee Beall, Detroit, MI

James Beall was one of the most sought after speakers in both the Latter Rain Movement and the Charismatic Movement. He preached on all the continents but Antartica.

An interview with James Lee Beall

***Click on image*** to read the complete interview James Lee Beall gave to Pathfinders in 1983

has commentary by James Lee Beall

Three of the contributors have LRM connections - James Lee Beall (commentary on the Pastoral Epistles), Dick Iverson (commentary on the Psalms), and Charles Green (an article on "The Pathway of Praise and Worship"). This study bible was edited by Jack Hayford. *click on image* to view an excerpt from the Book of Genesis.

Harry M. Beall, Detroit, MI

An associate pastor and minister of music at Bethesda Missionary Temple. His rich baritone voice was utilized both as a soloist and a worship leader.

Eleanor & Paul Stern, Kenya

Paul and his wife Eleanor were missionaries sent out from Bethesda Missionary Temple. They later pastored in Danville, Illinois.

The Stallwoods, Nigeria

Bruce, Lucinda, and sons were missionaries sent out from Bethesda Missionary Temple.

Owen Shackett, Tacoma, WA

This is Owen's 1951 graduation photo from the Bethesda Bible Institute in Detroit. He went on to pastor the large People's Church in Tacoma.

Ollie McCubbin, Sandusky, Ohio

Sent out from the Bethesda Missionary Temple to pastor in Sandusky.

Elton Weatherly, Ypsilanti, MI

Founded Bethesda Bible Church (now, Bethesda Church) in 1961 with his wife, Judith.

Fred Poole, Philadelphia, PA

Originally from Wales, Poole pastored Philadelphia Gospel Temple, one of the earliest churches to embrace the Latter Rain revival. ***Click on image*** to hear one of Poole's sermons.

Clair Hutchins, Chicago, IL

Hutchins, who pastored Beulah Temple, was well known as a singer and a preacher. His daughter is Carol Cymbala, the leader of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Paul & Lura Grubb, Memphis, TN

Pastors of Faith Temple

Graham Truscott, San Diego, CA

Graham and Pamela Truscott led Restoration Temple in San Diego. Graham authored several books.

William Faupel, Naples, Florida

Devoted 125 pages of his PhD dissertation to the LRM. Past president of the Society for Pentecostal Studies.

Richard Riss, Newark, NJ

Author of Latter Rain: The Latter Rain movement of 1948 and the Mid-Twentieth Century Evangelical Awakening, the most extensive account of the LRM of 1948. Professor of history at Pillar College.

Richard Riss' LRM history

Weak on the Bethesda Missionary Temple part of the story because the author did not have access to most of Bethesda's primary source materials due to a fire at the church in 1962.

More history from Riss

Includes coverage of the Azusa Street revival, the LRM of 1948, and the Charismatic movement.

Riss' article in AG Heritage

*** Click on image *** to access Richard Riss' article entitled, "The New Order of the Latter Rain: A Look at the Revival Movement on Its 40th Anniversary" in the Assemblies of God publication, Heritage (fall 1987 edition). The .pdf link downloads the entire 20-pages of that issue. Riss' article begins on page 15.

Revival Church perspective

The author, Dick Iverson, was the founder of Bible Temple and Portland Bible College in Portland, Oregon. His wife, Edie, attended the Bible college in North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

Daily Devotional by Ivan Q. Spencer

These devotions by Ivan Spencer were first published in The Elim Pentecostal Herald. Included is an editorial he wrote concerning the Latter Rain revival, entitled, "The Custodians" (originally, "Who are the Custodians of the Latter Rain?")

Sees LRM as the precursor to the Charismatic Movement

More than just a recounting of the LRM though, this is Hamon's survey of all of the Church's history.

Canadian LRM backgrounds

The chapters on the LRM were written by William Faupel and Mark Hutchinson.

Glad Tidings, Vancouver, Canada

Site of a revival outbreak in November 1948. Pastor Reg Layzell hosted the Hawtin brothers from Saskatchewan. Myrtle Beall was among those prophesied over.

Nellie & Reg Layzell, Vancouver, BC

Hosted the Hawtin brothers for revival services in 1948. Pastored Glad Tidings Church in Vancouver. Reg was one of the LRM's elder statesmen and was known for his balance, integrity, and his teaching on the "sacrifice of praise."

Hugh & Audrey Layzell, British Columbia

Missionaries to Uganda. Hugh also pastored in Hamilton, Ontario. They authored the book Sons of His Purpose which includes much of the history of the 1948 revival in western Canada.

Kayy Gordon, Nunavut, Canada

Kayy Gordon left her home church (Glad Tidings in Vancouver) at 22 years old to start an effective and enduring mission in the Arctic.

James Routley, Chilliwack, BC

Jim pastored Pentecostal Tabernacle in Chilliwack and was an early associate of George Hawtin and Reg Layzell.

Sharon Orphanage and Schools, North Battleford, Saskatchewan

The site of the initial outbreak of revival in February 1948.

Sharon Orphanage & Schools

*Click on image* to see the original September 1947 letter (it is a .pdf file) from George Hawtin, Percy Hunt, and Herrick Holt announcing the opening of the facilities in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. The facilities were the site of the revival that broke out six months later in February 1948.

The Sharon Star

The Sharon Star was the publication that came from the revival site in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. It is printed monthly to this day. *** Click on image *** to view current and past issues (only as far back as the year 2000, though).

George & Rhoda Hawtin, Saskatchewan

Jim Watt says George was the undisputed leader of the revival outbreak in North Battleford.

Ern & Jessie Hawtin, Saskatchewan

Ern was George Hawtin's brother and also a prominent prophet in North Battleford.

George Warnock, Canada

Author of "The Feast of Tabernacles".

Marie & Jim Watt, Seattle, WA

Jim was one of the original seven elders at the work in North Battleford. He also served for a time as Ern Baxter's secretary.

Milford Kirkpatrick, Saskatchewan

Present at the revival outbreak in North Battleford. He served as a missionary to Japan.